The Federal Government has called on Nigerian universities to adopt artificial intelligence and digital technologies while improving regulatory compliance, governance and accountability to raise the standard of higher education.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, made the appeal on Tuesday while opening the 2026 retreat of the National Universities Commission and vice-chancellors of Nigerian universities in Abuja.
Ahmad said global changes in higher education, driven by artificial intelligence, digital learning, data analytics and evolving research and funding models, required Nigerian institutions to review their policies and practices to remain competitive.
She, however, stressed that AI adoption must be accompanied by safeguards to protect academic integrity, uphold ethical standards, secure data and promote responsible use of the technology.
The minister said, “In modern times, university systems all over the world are greatly being influenced by artificial intelligence, digital learning, data analytics, virtual laboratories, online academic resources, quality assurance agencies’ review, changing funding models, innovation, research and development, workforce productivity, graduate employability, and international competitiveness, amongst others.”
She described the retreat, scheduled for October 13 and 14 at the NUC headquarters, as timely, noting that the challenges facing Nigerian universities required more than individual institutional efforts or regulatory directives.
According to her, closer cooperation between the commission and university managements would be crucial to implementing policies effectively and ensuring compliance with established standards.
The retreat is themed, “Enhancing Regulatory Compliance, Governance, Leadership, and Partnership in the Nigerian University System.”
Ahmad said universities should move beyond awarding degrees and position themselves as centres of knowledge creation, research, innovation, character development and industrial transformation.
She noted that university standards have direct implications for the country’s human capital, economic productivity, national prosperity and stability.
The minister also urged vice-chancellors to promote transparency and accountability in financial management, procurement, recruitment, promotion, admissions and examinations.
She called on university leaders to establish clear institutional visions, set measurable performance targets and create environments that encourage academic excellence.
Ahmad further advocated stronger consultations between the NUC and university managements to support policy discussions, exchange experiences and jointly address challenges.
She expressed hope that the retreat would produce practical recommendations, adding that the proposed communiqué and post-retreat monitoring mechanism should provide a framework for measurable improvements across the university system.
NUC Introduces New Oversight Measures
In his address, the Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, said the commission was strengthening its regulatory and quality assurance systems to improve the relevance and standards of university education.
Ribadu, who assumed office on December 23, 2024, disclosed that the commission had introduced new guidelines governing the award and use of honorary doctorate degrees, alongside sanctions for institutions that breached the rules.
He said the NUC had also introduced post-matriculation monitoring and carrying-capacity visits to universities to improve admission processes. The commission, he added, was preparing to begin post-accreditation monitoring visits to strengthen oversight of academic programmes after accreditation.
According to Ribadu, the NUC Policy Development Strategy Committee had completed a comprehensive review of the university system and produced Blueprint 2.0, aimed at accelerating the revitalisation of higher education.
He said the commission was also developing a strategic plan for the 21st century and transitioning from the Annual Performance Evaluation system to a Performance Monitoring System pioneered by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
Ribadu urged universities to improve strategic planning and ensure that research conducted by academics generated practical solutions to national challenges.
He called for stronger partnerships among universities, industry, government and other stakeholders to tackle problems in agriculture, healthcare, education, technology, manufacturing and environmental management.
The NUC chief also announced the launch of the ACE Alliance platform, which brings together Nigeria’s 20 African Centres of Excellence to encourage collaboration on research addressing the country’s development needs.
He said a four-volume compendium documenting research outputs from the centres had also been unveiled.
Additionally, Ribadu disclosed that the Tertiary Education Research and Application Services platform of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund had been integrated with the Nigerian Research and Education Network to strengthen research collaboration.
NUC Developing National AI Policy Framework
On artificial intelligence, Ribadu said the commission was working on a National AI Roadmap and Policy Framework for the Nigerian University System.
He added that the NUC was seeking to strengthen research commercialisation through a dedicated division and exploring opportunities for selected vice-chancellors to study commercialisation practices at universities in Europe and Asia.
As part of its digital transformation drive, the commission has developed and deployed e-NUC, a platform designed to automate its entire workflow, he said.
The NUC is also developing accreditation software intended to improve transparency, data management and quality assurance across universities.
Ribadu cautioned, however, that digital transformation involved more than acquiring equipment and software, stressing the importance of institutional readiness, appropriate policies, capacity building and cybersecurity.
Addressing funding constraints, he urged universities to seek alternative sources of financing through partnerships with the private sector, alumni associations and development partners, while ensuring that such arrangements supported institutional objectives and complied with regulatory requirements.
He disclosed that the commission had established partnerships with organisations including the World Bank, the Agence Française de Développement and the African Development Bank to attract additional support for the university system.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee and NUC Director of Research, Innovation and Information Technology, L.M. Faruk, said the retreat was organised to strengthen engagement between the commission and university managements.
Faruk said discussions would focus on regulatory compliance and quality assurance, transformational leadership and governance, as well as strategic partnerships to advance university education.
He expressed optimism that the meeting would produce actionable recommendations for addressing longstanding and emerging challenges in the sector.
The retreat brings together vice-chancellors from federal, state and private universities, alongside education officials, university union leaders and other stakeholders, to discuss the future of higher education in Nigeria.
